Senorise Perry ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns and Teddy
Bridgewater overcame a shaky start to pass for 250 yards and No. 7
Louisville scored on four consecutive drives to pull away from rival
Kentucky for a 27-13 victory on Saturday.

The Cardinals' defense forced three turnovers, including two in their
territory to preserve a win that required more work after easy wins
over Ohio and Eastern Kentucky.

Bridgewater connected with DeVante Parker for a 13-yard touchdown
just before halftime that opened things up for Louisville (3-0).

Perry followed with second-half TD runs of 1 and 36 yards sandwiched
around John Wallace's 21-yard field goal that provided a cushion.

Perry finished with 100 yards on 11 carries while Bridgewater
completed 16 of 28 attempts to help the Cardinals earn their third
straight Governor's Cup.

Though Louisville was less dominant against Kentucky than its past
two games, the Cardinals were effective when necessary and still
outgained the Wildcats 492-376.

Alex Montgomery caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Whitlow and Joe Mansour kicked two field goals for Kentucky (1-2).

For Bridgewater, Commonwealth Stadium held special significance because it was where his career took off two years ago.

In that previous visit, he relieved an injured Will Stein and
directed a 24-17 victory that helped get the Cardinals started toward
consecutive Big East titles, including last season's stunning Sugar Bowl
upset of Florida.

The junior returned with Heisman hopes this season.

Bridgewater got off to a slow start as Kentucky's defense kept him and his receivers in check for much of the first half.

He began 1 of 4 for 10 yards and had just 58 yards through one
quarter, looking especially out of sync in throwing behind Robert Clark
after the Cardinals recovered a Whitlow fumble at the Wildcats 27.

Wallace salvaged the drive with a 36-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Even when Bridgewater seemed to get going in hitting Parker for 10
yards, the receiver fumbled and Kentucky's Ashley Lowery recovered,
setting up Mansour's 37-yard field to tie the game.

The Wildcats' defense closed running lanes for Michael Dyer and other
Cardinals backs and even sacking Bridgewater for just the second time
this season.

But Kentucky's offense couldn't take advantage as receivers dropped passes from Maxwell Smith - who took all but two snaps in the first half - while Raymond Sanders fumbled a handoff at the Louisville 13 late in the second quarter.

The turnover ended a chance for the Wildcats to tie the game after
Bridgewater finally got untracked to hit a leaping Parker over two
defenders in the left corner with 2:36 left in the half.

Dominique Brown helped set up Louisville's first score with five straight carries for 27 yards to the Kentucky 15.

The Cardinals' momentum continued into the second half with three more scoring drives for a 27-3 lead.

On the first, Bridgewater hit four passes for 49 yards and Perry ran
three times for 29 yards, including a 1-yard score before Wallace's
second field goal from 21 yards.

Perry's 36-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter helped put the game away for Louisville.

Smith and Whitlow combined to complete just 17 of 37 passes for 214 yards for the Wildcats.

LSU football fans ready to grab autographs and take pictures with their favorite Tiger players and coaches at the school's annual Fan Day will have to wait a little while. Sports information director Michael Bonnette confirmed to WAFB-TV that the event has been moved to the spring, in conjunction with the Tigers' spring football game. |^